


The Little Mermaid

by fanetjuh



Series: Once Upon A Time in Westeros [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Little Mermaid Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 23:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21188108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanetjuh/pseuds/fanetjuh
Summary: This should have been the best day of her life, but Joffrey Baratheon doesn't seem eager to complete the trial to prove Westeros that his love for Sansa is true. And so, Sansa Stark, has the most horrible night of her life. Until a charming prince from the Iron Islands saves the day. And the princess.





	The Little Mermaid

Once Upon a Time, in a Kingdom far and far away from here, Sansa Stark had the most horrible evening of her entire life and she wasn’t entirely sure who to blame most for it. The Red Priestess surely was to blame because she had decided to design a trial this cruel and humiliating, as if she had seized the opportunity to teach Sansa a hard lesson. Joffrey Baratheon was to blame because ever since the ball had started he hadn’t even attempted to search for his true love, like he was supposed to do. And Sansa herself was to blame because she had been naive to truly believe that Joffrey was her true love and that the Red Priestess’ trial was going to prove her right.

Tears filled Sansa’s eyes while she watched Joffrey. His blond hair shimmered under the light of a thousand candles. His piercing green eyes followed the graceful movements of all the pretty ladies in beautiful gowns. Ever since the evening had started he hadn’t left his throne. He didn’t have to. Everyone who mattered was more than eager to climb the few stairs to exchange a few words with the young heir to the Lannister kingdom. But he hadn’t seen the girl hiding in the shadows, afraid to be seen, but maybe even more afraid to not be seen.

Her normally beautifully braided hair hung loosely over her shoulders. She wore a plain gown that she wouldn’t even allow her own servants to wear to such an important occasion. No coal surrounded her bright blue eyes and her bare feet were dirty and blooded and in constant pain because they weren’t used to standing this long. If someone would have asked her a question, she couldn’t answer, the words and her voice stolen from her.

What would happen if Joffrey wouldn’t recognise her? What if he wouldn’t cup her face? What if he wouldn’t tell her that she was still beautiful and that no matter who she was and what she wore, he would still love her? What if Joffrey truly didn’t love her, like her sister Arya had always claimed?

Sansa closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. The princesses in the stories she liked to read usually waited patiently until they were rescued, but Sansa wasn’t entirely sure if she had the luxury to do so. If Joffrey wouldn’t recognise her before sunrise, if he wouldn’t voice his undying love for her before then, the trial was over and they had both failed. She didn’t want to think of the consequences. She hadn’t truly asked the Red Priestess what would happen if they wouldn’t win. She had been confident that losing simply hadn’t been possible. She had been convinced that she and Joffrey were made for each other.

But either Joffrey was sure that he would complete his task within minutes once he would finally start looking for his future wife. Or he wasn’t as interested in completing this challenge as Sansa was.

Or maybe this was her trial and not his. What if the Red Priestess simply wanted Sansa to overcome her shame?

Sansa opened her eyes again and she gathered all the courage she could find within herself. She left her hiding place and the safe shadows and stepped into the light. But her fear to be stared at had been unfounded. While she made her way towards the steps leading to Joffrey’s throne, no one was seeing her at all. Least of all her betrothed.

Seconds passed. Minutes Passed. The clock in the clock tower chimed one time to indicate that Sansa and Joffrey had only one more hour.

But Joffrey was still not looking for her. He was too busy laughing with three girls gathered around him. And surely he had also had a few glasses of wine too many.

“Princess Sansa?”

She reluctantly looked over her shoulder when she heard a well known voice whispering her name.

“Are you okay?”

If she would have had her voice she would have yelled at him. Of course she wasn’t okay. Did she look okay? This was supposed to be the start of her happy ending! And yet she had never felt more unhappy than she felt right now.

But she could only shake her head and fight the tears burning in her eyes. With her head down and while counting the marble tiles under her bare feet, Sansa walked past Theon Greyjoy, her father’s ward.

“Hey…” Theon reached for her wrist and forced her to stand still. “You don’t have to walk away from me.”

Of course she had. She looked horrible. She was on the brink of crying. And in one hour she would lose everything she had dreamed of her entire life.

But Theon refused to let her go. “Sansa…” His eyes wandered over her loose hair, her plain dress and her bare feet. “Even now you are still the most beautiful woman in this entire room.”

Sansa rolled her eyes. She knew very well that she wasn’t. Not right now. Not like this.

“The prince is a fool not to see it. He’s a fool not to see you.” Theon swallowed. “Don’t tell anyone, but I never liked him much anyway.”

The frustration raced through her veins and she threw her head in her neck. She wouldn’t tell anyone. She couldn’t. Not even if she wanted to.

Theon cocked his head. “You’re not quite talkative right now, are you?”

Sansa let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

“O! It’s part of that trial thing!” Theon crooked a smile, but the smile quickly disappeared when a tear rolled down Sansa’s cheek. “Wait…” He furrowed his eyebrows. “He’s not just a fool, isn’t he?” Theon shook his head. “He’s failing. He’s failing himself and you.” Theon’s grip on Sansa’s wrist tightened and he pulled her with him to the throne. “Prince Joffrey?” Theon cleared his throat, but Sansa wished he hadn’t.

Immediately Joffrey’s eyes found her and the laughter echoing through the hall, where everyone had stopped moving, was deafening and painful. “Look at that.” He stood up from his throne. Slowly, as if he didn’t want to even risk accidentally completing the trial. “Sansa Stark, looking even worse than a beggar.” He spit out the last word and Sansa couldn’t fight it any longer.

Tears leaked from her eyes and as quickly as she could she rushed away. Away from the throne. Away from the staring glances. Away from her betrothed and the black heart in his chest.

“Sansa!” Heavy footsteps hurried after her. “Sansa, please, wait!”

She would have kept running if her ankle hadn’t twisted and if she hadn’t landed on her hands and knees in the mud in the palace garden.

“Sansa…” Theon knelt down in front of her. His curls blew in his face, but not once did he seem to care about his beautiful clothes to get stained. “O, Sansa…” He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to his surprisingly strong chest. His embrace was warm and comfortable and even though her tears wetted his white shirt, he kept on stroking her hair and didn’t let go of her.

When Sansa had dreamed of princes, she had always imagined her prince to look like Joffrey. But now she started to understand that looks could be deceiving and that looks for sure weren’t everything. Joffrey’s golden hair, his beautiful green eyes, his expensive clothes, his charming smile, they were nothing but a mask hiding a monster.

But Theon wasn’t a monster. If he had been he wouldn’t have been here.

Sansa swallowed when she lifted her head up and looked at the prince who was holding her. For the first time she saw the glimmer in his eyes when he locked his glance with hers. For the first time she noticed the warmth in his smile when he saw her tears had dried. For the first time she realised that Theon Greyjoy cared about her, no matter what she wore and how she looked. Her cared about her, about who she was, about who she truly was.

“He doesn’t deserve your tears, Sansa.” Theon shook his head. “You’re smart. You’re brave. You’re strong. He doesn’t deserve anything from you.” Theon was right and Sansa bent her head. “If it had been me…” Theon hesitated. “I would have won the trial the minute it had started.”

Sansa swallowed when she looked up again and she widened her eyes while she tried to mouth for him to try.

“You want me to…?” Theon’s veins beat visibly in his neck while he reached for her hands. His palms were sweating and for a moment there was nothing but silence. “Okay…” Theon nodded. “Sansa Stark…” He coughed and straightened his back. “I love you.” He blurted the words out. “I love you for a while already. And I know you will never love me back, but I will still love you.”

Sansa smiled and she opened her mouth, forgetting for a moment that her voice was gone. “Don’t be so sure I will never love you back.” Much to her surprise her voice sounded clear and strong. “Because I somehow think I’m destined to love you for the rest of my life.”

Theon’s crooked smile mirrored her own when he leaned towards her. “I finally understand why the Red Priestess wanted me to be here tonight.” His lips kissed her cheek.

“It wasn’t Joffrey’s trial to begin with.”

The wedding of their crown prince, three months later, surprised all the people from the Iron Islands, but soon they learned that they couldn’t have gotten a better queen. And Sansa and her Theon? They lived happily ever after.


End file.
